I. Field
The following description relates generally to wireless communications and more particularly to local Internet Protocol access.
II. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content, such as voice, data, video, and so forth, and to communicate information regardless of where a user is located (e.g., inside or outside a structure) and whether a user is stationary or moving (e.g., in a vehicle, walking). These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available systems resources (e.g., bandwidth and transmit power). Multiple-access systems include Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems, Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, and others.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems can simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device can communicate with one or more base stations through transmissions on forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from base stations to mobile devices. The reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to base stations. These communication links can be established through single-input-single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input-single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth. In addition, mobile devices can communicate with other mobile devices (and/or base stations with other base stations) in peer-to-peer wireless network configurations.
In addition to mobile phone networks currently in place, a new class of small base stations has emerged, which may be installed in a user's home and provide indoor wireless coverage to mobile units using existing broadband Internet connections. Such personal miniature base stations are generally known as access point base stations, or, alternatively, Home Node B (HNB), Home eNode Bs (HeNBs), or femto cells. Typically, such miniature base stations are connected to the Internet and the mobile operator's network through a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) router or cable modem.